Friday, November 19, 2004

Ya Got That Right

"Enforced charity is not charity. Enforced tolerance is not tolerance. Enforced morality is not morality. Enforced values are not values."

Andy Stedman, in a post at No Treason, titled “Liberals and Conservatives: Fundamental Common Ground."

Posted by John Venlet on 11/19 at 04:31 AM
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Thursday, November 18, 2004

"Riddle Me This"

So, how does a group of physicians, six-hundred (600) in number, “coerce” three (3) of the largest insurers in the country?

When a judge, FTC Adminstrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell to be precise, says they do.

“FTC Official Rules Against Texas Physician Group" Note, the link is in pdf format.

Link via Skip Oliva at Citizens for Voluntary Trade.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 05:17 PM
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Conservatives Misunderstanding Caricatures

The Wall Street Journal’s, Best of the Web, today, is allegedly providing us with "A Little Perspective" on "Liberal Racism," which, no doubt, exists, but their perspective is being driven by editorial cartoons.

The catalyst for the lesson seems to be this Oliphant editorial cartoon, and the WSJ also provides us with a link to an individual’s blog, by the name of Winfield Myers, who is “cataloguing” a myriad of allegedly racist editorial cartoons.

Reading the Best of the Web post, regarding this little issue, and other blog posts and editorial commentary, and viewing the cartoons, leaves me scratching my head wondering if they’re more upset about the cartoons, or the little balloons where made up dialogue is written, though I’m leaning towards thinking they’re more upset about the cartoons, rather than the made up dialogue.  In most instances anyway.

I’m curious, do any of those individuals who are upset with the cartoons, understand what caricature means, and that most cartoonists practice it?

As for the made up dialogue in the little balloons, well, I suppose some of it could possibly be considered racist, but sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you.  Well, unless you’re a tad over sensitive.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 04:20 PM
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All That's Royal

For the most part, I think Prince Charles is somewhat buffoonish, but, I must say, the following comments, regarding a dustup with some palace staffer, are royal.

"What is wrong with everyone nowadays?

“Why do they all seem to think they are qualified to do things far beyond their technical capabilities?

“This is to do with the learning culture in schools as a consequence of a child-centred system which admits no failure.

“People think they can all be pop stars, high court judges, brilliant TV personalities or infinitely more competent heads of state without ever putting in the necessary work or having natural ability.

“This is the result of social utopianism which believes humanity can be genetically and socially engineered to contradict the lessons of history."

Heck, based on those comments, I’d even consider taking ole Charles fly-fishing if he visits Michigan, if he doesn’t mind my commoner status.

“Prince’s blast at people who get above their station"

Via Drudge.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 07:37 AM
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Read This and Actually Think About It, It's Important

Because I’ve been allocating time in other endeavors, my reading of Ludwig Von Mises’ Human Action has been neglected over the past month, or so.

I picked up the volume, again, yesterday evening, and resumed my reading where I had last left off, in Chapter VIII. Specifically, within Chapter VIII, I resumed my reading at Liberalism and Religion.

Scroll down to this section of the chapter and read those words and then consider, seriously and thoughtfully, whether those poseurs who pretend to be liberal actually are liberal or simply cloaking their theocracy under the guise of Liberalism.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 05:32 AM
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Yeah, But Can I Target Practice from A Palm Pilot?

"Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms.

A controversial Web site, http:/www.live-shot.com, already offers target practice with a .22 caliber rifle and could soon let hunters shoot at deer, antelope and wild pigs, site creator John Underwood said on Tuesday."

“Hunting via Internet? Officials wary"

Via Mises Economics Blog.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 05:16 AM
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Scorched?

The debate over when humans first peopled the North American continent rages on after a University of South Carolina archaeologist discovers what may be a 50,000 year old fire pit.  Though some say it may be simply a geological deposit, which I find difficult to accept when you consider that the deposit is rather centralized in one spot.

“Fire Pit Dated to Be Over 50,000 Years Old"

I appreciate a good fire pit.

Via Yahoo News.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/18 at 04:22 AM
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Wednesday, November 17, 2004

A Short Note on Nightcrawlers

So, I was sitting on the front porch, just now, on the 17th of November, and I kept hearing two things.  Someone playing Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, and a faint rustling sound.

The faint rustling sound, on a 54 degree night at 9:13 P.M., wasn’t The Nightcrawlers, but nightcrawlers. Quite possibly having one final outing before winter.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 06:10 PM
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This Guy Needs a New Attorney, and the Judge Needs to Grow Some Cojones

"A judge who condemned federal sentencing laws as “unjust, cruel and irrational” said Tuesday he had little choice but to sentence a first-time drug offender to 55 years and one day in prison.

U.S. District Judge Paul Cassell gave record producer Weldon Angelos the minimum 55 years for carrying a gun and one day for dealing marijuana and money laundering.

Cassell said Angelos will serve more time than rapists, murderers or airline hijackers."

Afraid to set a precedent, Judge Cassell?

And if Weldon Angelos was convicted based on this evidence regarding the gun,

"Before trial, Angelos was offered a plea bargain with a 16-year sentence, but he strongly denied carrying a gun outside his home during three alleged drug transactions. That testimony came from an informant “of some disreputable background,” said Mooney."

he should send Mooney (his so called attorney) packing.

“Utah judge condemns sentencing laws, gives drug offender 55 years"

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 04:41 PM
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"The Okay Chorale"

"It’s okay to show a Marine killing a possibly booby-trapped enemy,
But it’s not okay to show backside nudity before a night NFL game,
But it’s okay to stop school kids from having reverse dressup day,
But it’s not okay to show the decapitation of a western aid worker,
But it’s okay to show Abu Ghraib military prisoner humiliation,
But it’s not okay to show people jumping from the flaming towers.
It’s okay to be moralizing prigs until
The bullet bites the bone,
Unless it’s someone else’s bone,
And then it’s okay."

Composed by Gary Cruse.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 04:32 PM
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Illinois Levels the Playing Field

Handgun laws, heck, guns laws of any stripe, have never prevented any individual from obtaining a gun, especially individuals with criminal intent on their minds. 

Think about that for a moment, and then think about individuals, without criminal intent on their minds, who have been prosecuted for utilizing their handgun to protect themselves from individuals bent on criminal mischief.

After you consider the above, consider this.

"Illinois lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to give legal protection to homeowners who violate handgun bans to shoot burglars, overriding Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s veto of legislation that became a symbol in the tug-of-war over gun control."

Good on them, I say, though I am fairly certain that the banned handgun will be confiscated after the fact.

“Illinois lawmakers vote to give protection to homeowners who use banned guns to shoot burglars"

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 02:52 PM
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Discipline

When I went into the military, I recall meeting briefly with my Father.  When I informed my Dad that I had just enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and would be in boot the very next day, he told me one thing, he said, “John, I hope you’re doing the right thing, because the military will do one of two things to you.  It’ll either make a man out of you, or a bum out of you.  It’s your decision.”

I relay the above story, and file this post under the title “Discipline,” after reading Dale Franks post regarding “The Fallujah Shooting." I file this under the title Discipline, because discipline, though it carries more of a negative connotation to many individuals; don’t spank your kids, etc; than a positive connotation, discipline is something more important, it is self-control.

Via Billy Beck.

Update Comment: Bear in mind, as you read all the words being churned out about this incident, the individuals, in that mosque, were not there to pay homage to Allah, they were in that mosque to facilitate their ability to kill Americans.  This comment does not justify, if justification is indeed needed, the soldier in question actions, it merely states what bears considering.

Update 11.18.04: A couple of emails posted at The Corner, which, though not specifically addressing this particular matter, are worth reading.  It sounds, from reading one of the emails, that those serving in Iraq and elsewhere in harm’s way, are reading the Net.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 04:33 AM
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Things That Make You Go Blind

Cataracts,
Diabetic Retinopathy,
A sharp stick in the eye,
Masturbation,
Staring at a solar eclipse,
and
Computers.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/17 at 04:16 AM
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Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Get A Frickin Life, You Fools

"Post Election Selection Trauma is a real problem, Florida clinicians say"

The above is the secondary headline for an article, which I will link below.

I cannot adequately condemn this insanity, it is below contemptible.

“Psychologists blast Rush Limbaugh for mocking traumatized Kerry voters"

Via Drudge.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/16 at 06:32 AM
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A Handiwipe, Please

I’ve visited the Wikipedia site maybe half-a-dozen times since it went online.  I most recently visited the site to see what was posted for the word glaze, though I cannot remember why, but I was surprised to see that Wikipedia made no mention of window glazing, though it mentioned many other definitions for the word glaze.

Robert McHenry has penned a piece, posted at Tech Central Station, regarding Wikipedia which is titled “The Faith-Based Encyclopedia." Though McHenry may be biased regarding Wikipedia, he previously was the Editor in Chief of the Encyclopædia Britannica, personally, I think the title should have been more in line with McHenry’s parting paragraph.

"The user who visits Wikipedia to learn about some subject, to confirm some matter of fact, is rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom. It may be obviously dirty, so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him.

Via Arts & Letters Daily.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/16 at 05:11 AM
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